Eloy Antero Dias (aka Mano Eloy) became a pioneer in the organization of samba schools. He participated in the foundation of the Vai Como Pode (1923, today Portela samba school), Papagaio Linguarudo, Deixa Malhar, and Império Serrano (1947). He was also one of the pioneers of the recording, in 1930, of pontos and corimás de macumba (music of the magic rituals) on two Odeon albums, together with Amor and the Conjunto Africano. His samba Não Vai ao Candomblé was recorded by the Conjunto Africano. He arrived in Rio de Janeiro at 15, soon becoming involved with the sambistas of the time. He also participated in the Afro-Brazilian magical cults, becoming ogã; he was one of the bambas of the batuque or pernada (a violent game with similarities to capoeira). As a musician, he played the cavaquinho, the pandeiro, and the tamborim in the rodas de samba (samba get-togethers). He was elected the first Cidadão Samba (Citizen Samba) in 1936, elected president of the ancient União das Escolas de Samba (Samba Schools Association) in 1937, was president of the Federação Brasileira das Escolas de Samba in the early '50s, and was vice president of the Associação das Escolas de Samba do Brasil (Brazilian Samba Schools Association) in 1952-1954, 1956-1958, and 1962. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi